Outlet-box for interior conduits.



T, R E S S 0 B R W OUTLET BOX FOR INTERIOR CONDUITS.

APPLIGATION FILED DEG-19, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

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. UNITED STATES Patented March 15, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM F. BOSSERT, OF UTICA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE BOSSERT ELECTRICCONSTRUCTION COMPANY, OF UTICA, NEW YORK.

OUTLET-BOX FOR INTERIOR CONDUITS.

' SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 754,414, dated. March15, 1904.

Application filed December 19, 1903. Serial No- 185,'793. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. BOSSERT, re-

. siding at Utica, in the county of Oneida and State of New York, haveinvented certain Improvements in Outlet-Boxes for Interior Conduits, ofwhich the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in outlet-boxes forinterior conduits,and has special reference to means for adjusting theouter face of outlet-boxes after they are in position in a wall orpartition with the surface of the plastering. As is well understood, theoutlet-boxes and the connecting-conduits are secured in place before thelathing and plastering are laid on, and while allowance is made for theusual thickness of the plastering it frequently happens that it isspread in the vicinity of the outlet-box very unevenly, sometimes twicethe necessary thickness, thus leaving the outer face of the box quite adistance-comparatively from the surface of the plaster. Various devicesare resorted to by workmen to obviate the trouble, mostly of a temporaryand makeshift order.

The means provided by my invention consists of a sleeve of metalprovided with openings on its sides which are adapted to engage with oneor more inwardly-extending fingers formed on the cover of the'box bymeans of which the face of the box can be easily and quickly graduatedto the surface of the plastering, the device itself being very simpleand inexpensive.

In the drawings which illustrate the inven-' perspective view of amodified form of sleeve.

tion B, provided with lugs h h, the cover a, se'

cured to the portion B by the screws Z) b,which are screwed into thelugs. The cover a has a central orifice surrounded by the collar 0,

which has a section on one side bent inward to form a finger 6. Morethan one finger may be so bent inward, if desired. A sleeve d isrepresented as fitting easily in the collar 0 and extending into theinterior of the box. This sleeve is made of a ribbon of thin fiat steelwound in helical form, with its edges z'touching one another, and theends of the sleeve are cut square and at right angles to its axis, andthe tapering ends of the ribbon are cut away to form a space f, leavingstout hooking-terminals g.

When the box is about to be assembled, the sleeve d may be secured inthe cover obefore it is screwed to the part B or afterward, as may beconvenient. To attach the sleeve to the cover, the space f is placedover the finger 6, so that the hook-terminal g comes under the finger,and then the sleeve is turned around, so that the finger separates theedges of the helices as the sleeve is screwed in between them. When thebox is in position in a wall or partition, the sleeve can be turnedinward or outward, so that it will be level with the plastering, as willbe readily understood, and owing to the resiliency of the ribbon helicesthe finger e is held between them firmly in any position, so that itwill not be displaced.

In Figs. 4 and 5 a sleeve j is shown consistingof. a closed cylinderprovided on each side with perforations consisting of a vertical slot b,from which on each side extend the narrow horizontal slots m m. Toinsert this sleeve in the orifice of the cover of the box, one side ishooked over the finger 6, so that the latter extends into the verticalslot is, and if a second finger e is employed, as shown in Fig. 5, theopposite side of the sleeve is compressed until the finger is passedinto the vertical slot is adjacent thereto. The sleevecan then be movedup or down to adjustthe height thereof, and when this is determined itis turned in either direction, so that the'opposite fingers enter theslots adjacent thereto.

The sleeve shown in Fig. 6 is made from sheet steel or iron and theslots punched therein, and then the ends 1' rof the sheet are lappedover each other and inserted into the cover a of the box, and theadjustment is made as indicated of the sleeve in Figs. 4 and 5, whilethe resiliency of the metal causes the sleeve to expand and fill theorifice of the cover.

To provide a suitable finish for the opening of the box, I provide acollar for the external face of the sleeves, and in Figs. 2 and 3 wrepresents a detachable and adjustable collar provided with a finger 8,adapted to enter the slit 2' and be turned around therein until theunder side of the collar comes in contact with the face of theplastering :2, (represented by a dotted line.)

In Figs. 4 and 5 the sleeve j is provided with a flange g, which isintegral with the sleeve itself, and its adjustment to the face of theplastering as will be understood from the foregoing description of thesefigures.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination of an outlet-box having anopen space on its front and a supportingfinger extending partly acrossthe same, with an adjustably-supported metal sleeve in said space havingan opening in its side through which the said finger projects, as setforth.

2. The combination of an outlet-box having an open space on its front,of a metal sleeve in said space provided with an opening in its side,with a metal finger extending partly across said space and through saidopening adapted to adjustably support the sleeve, as set forth.

3. The combination in an outlet-box provided with a cover which has acentral opening surrounded by a collar, and a supportingfinger extendingpartly across the opening from the collar, with a metal sleeve in saidopening having an opening in its wall through which the finger extendsto adjustably support the sleeve, as set forth.

4:. The combination in an outlet-box having a circular opening on itsfront, a finger extending partly across the opening, with a cylindricalmetal sleeve in said opening having perforations in its wall throughwhich the finger projects to adjustably support the sleeve, as setforth.

5. The combination in an outlet-box having a circular opening in itsfront, a finger extending partly across the opening, with a sleeve insaid opening consisting of a metal plate of cylindrical form and havingperforations in its wall through which the finger projects and on whichthe sleeve is adjustably supported, as set forth.

6. The combination in an outlet-box having a circular opening on itsfront, one or more fingers extending partly across the opening, with acylindrical metal sleeve in said opening having perforations in its wallto receive said fingers to adjustably support the sleeve, consisting ofa vertical perforation from which extend horizontal perforations, as setforth.

7. The combination in an outlet-box having a circular opening on itsfront, a finger extending partly across the opening, with a sleeve insaid opening cylindrical in cross-section provided witha flange at itsouter end and with perforations in its wall through which the fingerprojects and on which the sleeve is adjustably, supported, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in thepresenceof two subscribing witnesses, this 15th day of December,

WILLIAM F. BOSSERT. Witnesses:

FREDERICK T. FOXENBERGER, THOMAS P. MURPHY.

